This chapter deals with
much historical detail. It covers the major part of Gabriel's discourse
on the "Scripture of Truth." His explanation begins at 10:21 and
ends with 12:4. For many passages, some might prefer explanations focusing
more on political events. I would not necessarily argue, except to say
that any interpretation must fit the text and its broader purpose. In Matthew
24, Jesus told of the end of the age citing the then-future destruction
of Jerusalem as a model of what would happen later. The first part of Daniel
11 is very literal. Later it is symbolic as the future is described.

Text

Comments

1 Also I in the first year
of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.

.2
And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three
kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and
by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm
of Grecia..3
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion,
and do according to his will.

Truth
To better understand this "truth" see the note
relating to da1021 and on
da1114c
below.Fourth
king [strong and rich] See Esther 1:1-4 es01.Mighty
king will stand To see what king followed those in Persia, we
turn to the vision of chapter 8 da0821.

.4
And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided
toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according
to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even
for others beside those.

Broken
. . .divided Alexander's kingdom was brief and was continued
as divided by his generals after he died. They killed his brother and son
da0808.

This
image is part of a large mosaic discovered at Pompeii (with missing areas
plastered over). It was a copy of a painting from much earlier and shows
Alexander's encounter with the Persian monarch.

.5
And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and
he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be
a great dominion..6
And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's
daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement:
but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand,
nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and
he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7 But out of a branch of her
roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army,
and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal
against them, and shall prevail: 8 And shall also carry captives
into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels
[vessels of their desire] of silver and of gold; and he shall continue
more years than the king of the north. 9 So the king of the south
shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.

5
- King of the southThe first to assume this role
was Ptolemy. North and south directions associated with "kings" may be
seen from the areas taken by the generals who assumed power after Alexander.
From the perspective of the Hebrews, they are also directions of approach
of invading armies. Babylonians actually ruled in the east but traveled
northward to avoid the vast desert and would arrive from the north. Here
Egypt would have been the king of the South. Conflict between the two kings
is introduced here where the text is understood as literal. Later in the
chapter, we see more symbolism and, perhaps with different nations inheriting
the titles of the two kings.True
and false kings of the North; kings of North and South.
See note.
We might say that the king of the North ultimately opposes God's people
while the king of the South tempts them. The identity of the king of the
North changes through our narrative from Babylon, Syria (the Seleucid empire),
Rome, and the papacy (the new Rome).

10 But his sons shall be stirred
up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly
come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred
up, even to his fortress..11
And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth
and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth
a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12 And when he hath taken
away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down
many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13 For the king of the north
shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former,
and shall certainly come after certain years [or "at the end of the times,
years"] with a great army and with much riches.

10
- Pass through Image likely drawn from ex1212..13
- At the end of times, even years We may see a projection
into the future. "Times" here comes from eth. The word occurs
frequently and is seen in "time of" phrases such as da1135.
Other examples are in ps119126;
ps03719;
and pr1523.
It may mean "years" as in our verse da0725,
da1207.
Note the literal translation inserted into the text. Then the king of the
North would have great human and physical resources.

14a And in those times
there shall many stand up against the king of the south:
also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the
vision; but they shall fall.

In
those times During the years while the resources of the king
of the North are developing. Apparently we will here look at a broader
picture, and over an extended time.Many
We may interpret this to indicate that the takeover of pagan governments
would be a gradual process. History confirms that it was.

14b And
in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south:
also the robbers of thy people [or "sons of the violent ones of your people"]
shall exalt themselves to establish the vision;
but they shall fall.

Robbers
of thy people Or as shown in brackets in the verse. The blasphemy
would be by those professing to represent the true God. The term "sons"
shows that it would be in a future era. Comparison with da0924
helps us understand even better. You remember, in Chapter 9, the prophet
had been praying for the sins of his people and for Jerusalem. We look
at a phrase from God's response: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy
people and upon thy holy city. . . ." We saw for that verse
that Daniel's people, the Jews, had been given seventy weeks of years (490
years) to turn from the sins that had allowed their captivity and the devastation
of Jerusalem. The "sons" would then be in rebellion at a time after that.
Indeed we saw such a rebellion in Chapter 8.Violent
ones See Ezek. 18:4-13 where the same Hebrew word is used ez1810.Exalt
themselves Under "Establish the vision"
below, we identify the vision which Gabriel is here telling about. In da0809-11
we see the exalting process.

14c And
in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south:
also the robbers of thy people [or "sons of the violent ones of your people"]
shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.

.Establish
the visionTwo different Hebrew words are translated as "vision"
da0801.
Here it is chazon. Gabriel's discourse,
of which this verse is a part, is not itself a vision. But reference to
the "scripture of truth" in its introduction indicates that it is about
the vision (chazon) which this chapter elaborates on. Notice how
the whole discourse is introduced: "But I will show [tell]
thee what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. . . . And now I will
show thee the truth. Behold there shall. . . ." (Dan. 10:21; 11:2). Here is a passage from
the vision referred to: "And out of one of them [the four winds] came a
little horn which waxed [grew] exceeding great. . . . And it grew
up even to the host of heaven. . . . Yea he magnified [exalted] himself
even to the Prince of the host. . . . and it cast down the truth to the
ground; and it practised, and prospered." (Dan. 8:9-12). This points to the
vision (chazon) (8:2-12 da0802)
to which the revelation (mareh), about the 2300 days (8:13, 14 da0813)
was applied. Gabriel had declared the revelation, and thus the vision,
to be "true" da0826. It was appropriately
called a "scripture of truth" in that the final evil work of the horn was
the casting down of truth da0812. The term "scripture"
means writing. Gabriel is apparently referring to the scroll Daniel had
written recording this vision (chazon) which he had been told to
seal da0826. Also see da0701.Fall
Discussed in the note on
the notes page.

Text

Comments

.15
So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the
most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither
his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.

King
of the North We apparently return to the chronological narrative.
After the natural change at verse 14, we may expect the next northern ruler,
Antiochus IV Epiphanes.Fortified
city Antiochus IV took the Egyptian city of Pelusium in 169
B.C. and set up his provincial government there. In contrast, the decisive
battle of the second campaign of Antiochus III (whom many scholars see
in this verse) occurred in a field in Northern Palestine. Already battered,
the Egyptians finally went to Sidon and officially surrendered in the face
of famine. If we see the violent ones as removed instead of exalted at
the time of verse 14 (not the suggestion of this commentary), we may credit
the decisive battle of Antiochus III. One oppressor was replaced by another. Another interpretation
would have Jerusalem in 70 A.D. as the taken city. It is a very significant
action of the violent ones of the preceding verse, but it is not in the
chronological order.

.16a
But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and
none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in
the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed [or "with destruction
in his hand," NASB].

He
who comes Following in the context of the previous verse, this
contestant would be against the king of the South. Also, taking the
word "comes" to imply being new on the scene, we could not see the "he"
as the king of the North. In fact, the king of the North is not mentioned
again until verse 40 (where
North and South may be seen with new identity). The king of the South appears
in v25 and the direction, south, is mentioned in
v29.
This is consistent with the first part of v14. We could see
a particular ruler here, but recognizing the "he" as the Roman power, to
be elaborated on in succeeding verses, seems more in harmony with the text.

His
own will Notice that this phrase is coupled with the idea that
none could stand against this king. Thus we may see the particular
political power as having come to universal dominance. In previous
visions, major powers arose as beasts from the sea da0703
or by a new part of the image da0239.
In this chapter, more of the conflicts are seen which were associated with
rulers' rise to full power and later decline. Coming to universal
dominance is apparent in 8:4 (and context) where the phrase "according
to his will" was introduced. We may, therefore, see the use of this
phrase here and in v4 and v36
as marking new world powers as it did in da0804. Compare Jesus instructions:
lu1102.

.16b.But
he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none
shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land,
which by his hand shall be consumed [or "with destruction in his hand,"
NASB].

Glorious
land See on v11. Palestine, along with
Egypt, was conquered by Rome in 63 B.C. Antiochus IV, whom some see in
this verse, did stand for a time in Palestine, but the phrase here, "no
one shall stand against him," is certainly not appropriate in his case.
See on "fall" above
v14c. We have been
observing the kings of South and North v1104ff.
After the division of the Greek power, the Roman empire developed in the
west. The cross reference to "glorious" here indicates where we are
on the chapter 11 time line. "And out of one
of them [the four winds] came a little horn which grew exceedingly great
toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land" although
"land" is not in the original text. da0809note. "And the people
of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."
Dan. 9:26. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in 70 A.D. Also see
on da0926. As noted, the land would be subjugated
a few years later – 63 B.C.Destruction
/ consumed See da0707. A description
of imperial (or Pagan) Rome jn1910.

.17
He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom,
and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the
daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side,
neither be for him [or "belong to him"].

He
See on "He who comes" in the previous verse.Enter
with strength This may picture how Julius Caesar gained control.Upright
onesOr "equitable things." On his way
toward dictatorship, Julius Caesar gained broad popular support by agitating
for government reform. He later secured land for peasants and reduced
taxes for the wealthy.Daughter
of women The term may indicate something
special about this woman.Corrupting
her Caesar became interested in the Egyptian
queen Cleopatra and supported her position as ruler against her husband
and brother, Ptolemy XII. Caesar lived with her for a time in Egypt
and she apparently bore him a child.She
shall not stand on his side Cleopatra
accompanied Caesar back to Rome where he was shortly assassinated.
She returned to Egypt to protect her throne but died after a time bringing
the Ptolemaic dynasty to an end.

18 After this shall he turn
his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own
behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own
reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19 Then he shall turn his
face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and
not be found.

Turn
his face Equivalent to "set his face" in v17
above.ReproachOr
"insolence."Fall
Julius Caesar was assassinated by his supposed friends whom he had forgiven
and reinstated in office.

20 Then shall stand up in
his estate [or "place"] a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom:
but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle..21
And in his estate [or "place"] shall stand up a vile person, to whom they
shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably,
and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

Raiser
of taxes Or "one who shall send an exactor of tribute." –Amplified
Bible. See lu0201ff.Destroyed,
neither ... Augustus Caesar died of an illness in 14 A.D.Stand
up That is, assume ruling power. Compare v2.Vile
person Tiberius Caesar was cruel and unloved.Honor
of the kingdom Tiberius was adopted and not recognized as heir
until an adult.Peaceably
There were no legitimate contenders.See
the note for an additional interpretation of this verse. note.

.22
And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and
shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

Broken
"In 37 the Praetorian Guard declared its support for Caligula and killed
Tiberius when he was sick in bed." (The Britannica Concise, on line,
2001). He was monarch when Jesus was killed in 32.Prince
Hebrew nagid which may also be translated, "ruler." Compare
1sa2530.
It is used only three times in the book of Daniel. The other two are in
0925f.
This linguistic tie indicates the same Prince and the same event. In 9:25
He is called "Messiah the Prince." The
last part of this verse beginning "yea" is the keystone of the chiastic
structure of this chapter and for chapters 10 through 12. The
word, "covenant" appears three more times in this chapter (verses 28,
30,
32).
We may see an interesting comparison between breaking the prince of the
covenant and breaking the covenant of the prince. The one (prince) is broken
so that the other may be restored from its brokenness.Covenant
God's plan of redemption based on our acceptance of His way of happiness
summarized in the ten commandments. See note.

.23
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall
come up, and shall become strong with a small people..24
He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places [or "into the peaceable
and fat] of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not
done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and
spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong
holds, even for a time.

League
Reference to a league (or alliance) would tie back to verse 17 where Julius
Caesar came with "equitable terms" (NKJV, margin) or "terms of peace" (NRSV).
Is this a coincidence?Work
deceitfully We may also see here
in v23 the expansion of a strange little phrase from v17.
There we had casah, "thus shall he do," or literally "he shall act."
Here we have casah mirmah, "he shall act deceitfully." In
the chiastic literary structure, verses
17-19 match 23, 24. Julius Caesar may be seen as acting deceitfully
in his alliance with Egypt (48-47 B.C.)

.25
And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the
south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up
to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for
they shall forecast devices against him. 26 Yea, they that feed of
the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow:
and many shall fall down slain. 27 And both these kings' hearts
[literally, "their hearts"] shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak
lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at
the time appointed..28
Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall
be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his
own land.

Continuing to move backwards in history, we can see reflections of three
more of the rulers that have already appeared in our narrative.
Verses 25 and 26 relate to Augustus, 27 to Tiberius (who ruled for a time
with Augustus as his assistant) and 28 through 30 to Antiochus IV, Ephiphanes.
A clear understanding of these verses is a challenge for further study.
Perhaps we should be looking beyond these rulers to issues and events of
greater spiritual significance. My hypothesis is that the decline
of the Roman Empire is shown correctly by our interpretation and that,
on this side of the chiastic center, the rise or characteristics of the
papacy matches it step by step.

.29
At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it
shall not be as the former, or as the latter..30
For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be
grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so
shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that
forsake the holy covenant..31
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary
of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place
the abomination that maketh desolate.

29
- Return The 7th crusade? See article.30
- Equivalent to da0811?31
- See on da1211. We see the rise of
a power explained more as we continue here. This power is described several
times. See chart.31
- SanctuaryMiqdash See note
on 8:11.

.32
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt [or "cause
to dissemble"] by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall
be strong, and do exploits.

Wickedly
against the covenant Those who disregard God's law are flattered
– made to feel good in their transgression. The church teaching is different
from the Bible. Thus a change in God's law is attempted da0725.
Here we begin the time, times and half a time of persecution. See chart.Exploits
This word was added by translators. Those who refuse to be corrupted know
God and act. Act how? Read these verses in succession ga0220,
1jo0408,
1jo0503.

.33
And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they
shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many
days.And
those among the people who are wise shall make many understand though they
shall fall . . . many days. (RSV)

They
that understand These who do keep the covenant and know truth
will teach it but often pay with their lives. On "understand" see da1210
and da1203.Wise
(alternative translation) Consider 2ti0315.Many
days The time of oppression was 1260 symbolic days or 3½
times re1206.
Also in 7:25 linked above at v32.

.34
Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen [helped] with a little help:
but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

Or ". . . they shall help
[and] be helped a little. . . ." The Reformation arose from those like
Wycliffe and Luther who learned from the Scriptures.Helped
See re1216.Flatteries
Better, "hypocrisy." Not all who joined the Protestant movement were totally
committed to Christ. The idea of religious freedom was not understood well
after centuries of subjection. See note
for this verse.

.35
And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge
[or "try by them"], and to make them white, even to the time of the end:
because it is yet for a time appointed.

Fall
to try them This sounds like a repetition of v33.
It's a new source of oppression. Persecution arose from the hypocrites
of the preceding verse. Protestant factions tried to force submission and
extinguish ideas of advancing light. See note.Purge1pe0107.Whitere0304f.Time
of the end The time following the 1260 symbolic days, when Daniel's
little book would be unsealed da1204. It would
also follow the time of persecution re1005ff.
re1206.
The light began to shine on the prophecies of Daniel around 1798 and was
essentially developed after the "end of the days" of chapter 12 when Daniel
would stand in his place da1213.Time
appointed This emphasizes that God had revealed the time when
relief would come. It would be at the end of the "days" of v33.
This is also a natural break where we go back for another look at the false
religious power.